Quinn orders ‘lights out’ at state facilities

CHICAGO — Gov. Pat Quinn has ordered state facilities to turn off their lights for one hour as part of a global conservation effort.

Quinn on Thursday ordered lights out from 8:30 to 9:30 in the morning at many state facilities on Mar. 29. That includes the Thompson Center and Bilandic Building in Chicago, the Illinois State Fairgrounds and other state facilities across Illinois.

The announcement is part of a global conservation effort called Earth Hour. It’s an annual initiative launched by the World Wild Fund in 2007. Last year, hundreds of millions of people from 7,000 cities went dark for one hour during the event.

Quinn says it will not only conserve energy, but “shine a light” on the need to protect the planet. His administration often touts their conservation efforts.